Accordion



March 5, 1940.

R. PANCOTTI ACCORDION Filed June 21, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ROBE/e T'O ATTORNEY PHNCO r-r/ R. PANCOTTI March 5, 1940.

ACCORDION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1937 INVENTOR R 15 ER TO Pp/vco-rn. BY-

Marth 5, 1940. IR PANCOTTI 2,192,857

ACCORDION Filed June 21, 1937 4 She ets- Sheet 3 INVENTOR llO I ROBERTO Pmvcorw. 13- BY g Z ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1940 PATENT OFFICE ACCORDION Roberto Pancotti, Nutley, N. J., asslgnor to Excelslor Accordions, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application June 21, 1937, Serial No. 149,318

11 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments and. more particularly, to piano accordions provided with means for obtaining various tone efiects.

One object of the invention is to provide an accordion with improved means for closing and opening the groups of openings which are individually controlled by the valves actuated by the usual keys on the keyboard of the instrument. 10 Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of valve-plates for opening and closing groups of the key controlled openings of the reed chamber together with mechanisms by which said plates are selectively moved to positions to close said groups of openings, and with means for returning all of valve-plates from said positions to their initial positions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means for preventing the escape of air from the reed chamber through the openings in the wall thereof through which parts of the valve-plate actuating mechanisms are projected.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to provide an accordion with valve-plate actuating mechanisms which are simple in construction and convenient in operation.

The above objects of the invention and othe objects which might hereinafter appear will be fully understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an accordion embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shift keys and the frame therefor detached from the instrument;

40 Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the shift keys and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the keyboard showing the shift bar mechanism mounted thereon;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of P18- 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of parts shown by Fig. 6:

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one end of a valve-plate and part of the actuating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a side view in elevation of parts of the mechanism for operating the slide plates;

' Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the valve-plates;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 6 showing a modification;

. Fig. 14 is a sectional view on the line |4--l 4 of Fig. 13.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the accordion Ill, embodying the present invention, comprises the usual treble and bass base sections l2 and I4, respect ively,each of which includes a reed chamber, the interposed bellows l6, and a keyboard l8. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, reed blocks are mounted in reed chamber I2 in position so that the two sets of openings in each of said reed blocks register with corresponding openings 22 in the metal plate 24. Said plate 24 constitutes one side wall of chamber l2, the other side of the latter being connected to bellows IS. The openings 22 in said plate 24 are controlled by sets of valves 28 and. 28 actuated by white and black keys respectively of the keyboard i 8 by means of rods 21 and 29 in the usualway. It will be observed that in the line l0-l 0 the arrangement here shown each of the valves controls four openings in plate 24. The usual grille 30 is mounted on the section I! in position over said plate and the valves associated therewith.

In accordance with the present invention, each row of openings 22 may be opened and closed by a slide plate 32 made of metal and provided with spaced openings 34 which register with said openings 22 in one position of said slide plate. Said plate has imperforate portions 36 disposed between said openings 34 and adapted to register with and thereby close said openings 22- in another position of the plate. As clearly "shown.

more particularly in Figs. 4 and 6. there is'a slide plate 32 for each row of openings 22. Said plates are mounted for sliding movement between plate 24 and plate 42 in channels or guide-ways 38 formed by spaced longitudinally extending ribs 40 on plate 42. Said plate 42 is made of metal and is provided with rows of openings 44 which register with openings 22 in plate 24. A felt layer 48 is cemented or glued to the outer surface of plate 42 and is provided with openings 4 8 which register with openings 44 in said plate. Screws 50 removably secure plate 42 to plate 24.

Slide plates 32 are operated under the control of shift keys 52 which, as shown in Fig. 1, are mounted for movement within openings 44 in grille 30 in planes normal to the reed-chamber wall constituted, as here shown, by plates 24. Said shift keys are pivotally mounted on the rod 54 and for that purpose each of said keys is provided with a groove 58 in which said rod is received. Said keys are held on rod 54 by a metal strap 58 fixed to the key in a suitable manner, as by a screw 80. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 6, rod 54 is fixed in a wire frame including members 82 each provided with end portions 84 and 88 provided with apertures through which screws 50 project for securing the frame to plate 24. It will be observed that as here shown said screws 50 constitute means for fastening the plate 32 to the plate 24 and also for' fastening the members 82 of the frame 6| to plate 24.

A link 88 is pivotally attached-to each shift key 52 and for that purpose said link is provided with a reflexed portion 10 which is received within a groove 12 adjacent one end of the shift key and is held in said groove by strap 58 which also holds the shift key on the rod 54. The other end of link 88 is connected to the eyelet 14 of a member here shown as a screw 18 adjustably threaded to a piston 18. Each piston 18 projects through an opening 19 in plate 24 and is arranged to reciprocate in a cylinder 80. Said cylinder is provided with a flange 82 by which said cylinder is attached to the inner surface of plate 24. Although piston 18 is freely movable in cylinder 80, it has a sufficiently close fit therein to prevent the escape of air from reed chamber I2 through openings 10 through which pistons 18 are projected into said chamber.

A lever 84 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the split end 88 of each piston by means of a cotter pin 88. Said lever is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to a post 80 by means of a pivot pin 92. Post 80 is carried by plate 24 and for that purpose is provided with a reflexed portion 84 fastened to the inner surface of said plate by screws 88. Each lever 84 is pivotally connected to an arm 88 at one end of a rod I00 by means of a pivot pin I02 which engages the end of the lever in a slot I04 thereby to permit relative longitudinal movement between arm 98 and lever 84. Each lever 84 is provided with a laterally projected pin 85 provided with a peripheral groove 81. A spring 88 is fastenedat one end thereof to a block 3| and has a bent end portion 93 which engages pin 85 in its groove 81 thereby releasably holding lever 84 in either of its positions shown in full line and in dotted lines, respectively. Rods I00 are mounted for oscillation about their longitudinal axes in a groove formed in a block I08 secured to a wall ofchamber I2, said rods being held in said groove by metal straps I08. Each rod I 00 is provided with two depending arms H0 and each of said arms is fixed at one end thereof to said rod and has its opposite end in engagement with a Z-shaped member II2 fastened to the end of a slide plate 32, said member having a slot H4 in which said arm engages said member. It will be noticed that slide plates 32 may be readily removed for repair or replacement, or for other purposes, by merely removing plate 42 after unfastening screws 50 and removing the reed blocks, and it will likewise be noticed that said slide plates may be readily assembled in operative re lation to arms IIO by merely arranging the slide plates in their guide-ways and positioning the ends thereof for engagement of said arms in the slots of members II2.

Thus by actuating a single shift key 52, two slide plates 32 are simultaneously operated to either open or close plate openings 22, the arrangement being such that one slide plate of each pair controls a row of openings 22 which are individually/and selectively controlled by the white keys and a row of openings 22 which are similarly controlled by black keys. It will be observed that when a shift key 52 is rocked upon rod 54 in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 1 from the left, a pair of slide plates 32 are moved from their initial positions in which the openings 34 in said plates register with openings 22, to positions in which the imperforate portions 38 of said plates 32 close openings 22 of plate 24. It will be observed also that after said pair of slide plates have been moved to closing position they may be returned to their initial positions by rocking their companion shift key in a counter clockwise direction.

While slide plates 32 may be returned to their initial positions by operation of keys 52, it is preferable to provide means for returning all of said plates to said initial position under the control of a single shift member. For this purpose there is provided a shift bar II8 disposed at the outer side edge of keyboard I8 in slidable.relation closely adjacent the bottom thereof. Said shift bar is provided with arms II8 each rigidly connected at one end thereof to said bar. Said arms are slidable in straps I20 fastened to the bottom of keyboard I8 in any suitable way. A toggle lever I22 is pivotally connected at its ends I24 to arms I I8 and is normally held by a spring I28 in position to project shift bar I I8 outwardly of keyboard I8. One of the arms H8 is pivotally connected to one end of a link I28. The other end of said link is pivotally connected to a piston I30 which may be similar in all respects to piston 18. Said piston has a sliding fit with a cylinder I32 which may be similar in all respects to cylinders 88. A lever I34 is pivotally connected to said piston I30 and is pivotally mounted at one end I38 thereof on a post I38 carried by plate 24. The other end of lever I34 is provided with a reflexed portion I38 in traversing relation to levers 84. Thus when any one or all of levers 84 have been actuated under the control of shift keys 52 for closing the rows of openings 22, movement of shift bar II8 inwardly of keyboard I8 causes pivotal movement of lever I34 for bringing portion I38 of said lever into engagement with the contiguous portions of levers 84 for effecting the reverse movement of slide plates 32 to their initial or open positions. A cover I38 is removably secured to the keyboard I3 over the shift bar mechanism.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 the shift keys 52a are connected directly to pistons 18a and are rectilinearly movable with the latter. As here shown said keys are positioned within openings 54a in the grille 30 and are carried at the reflexed end portions I40 of arms I42, being secured to said reflexed portions in any suitable manner as by screws I44. The other end portions I48 of arms I42 are rigidly connected to the upper split end portions I48 of pistons 180. Thus each shift key is fixed to a piston 18a and reciprocates with the latter. It

will be understood that the pistons 18a have a substantially fluid-tight sliding fit in cylinders 80 and are connected at their lower ends to mechanisms which may in all respects be simiamass? lar to the mechanisms hereinabove described and which include levers 84 and rods I00 as illustrated, for example, in Figs. 4 and 11. In this form of the invention the slide plates 32 are selectively moved to closed position by depressing shift keys 52a, and may be returned to their initial positions by operation of the shift bar H8 and the mechanisms controlled by the latter in the manner described above with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

Thus it is seen that the constructions herein shown and described are well adapted to accomplish the several objects of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as here shown. and that in each of the embodiments herein illustrated or described certain changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely to the present constructions or to any of them except as may be required by the appended claims considered with reference to the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an accordion, a chamber having a wall provided with openings for the passage of air for vibrating the reeds, key-controlled valves for said openings, a key-board having keys for actuating said valves, a plurality of additional valves for said openings, each of said additional valves being movable to two positions to cover said openings and to uncover said openings, respectively, individual shift keys and mechanisms actuated thereby for moving said additional valves to one of said positions, said shift keys being movable in planes normal to said chamber wall, means for supporting said shift keys for said movement thereof normal to said chamber wall, and means additional to said shift keys and operable independently of the latter for moving any of said additional valves from said one position to the other of said positions, said shift keys and said first mentioned keys being movable in substantially the same directicns whereby to facilitate manipulation of all of said keys by the player while playing the accordion.

2. In an accordion, a reed chamber having keycontrolled reeds, a movable member for additional control of said reeds, means for actuating said member comprising a rock shaft, an arm connected to said shaft and engageable with said member, a pivoted lever, a second arm connected to said shaft and engageable by said lever, a rectilinearly movable member connected to said lever for actuating the latter, and a shift key positioned externally of said reed chamber mounted for rectilinear movement and operatively connected to said last mentioned member for moving the latter.

3. In an accordion, a reed chamber having keycontrolled reeds, a movable member for additional control of said reeds, means for actuating said member comprising a rock shaft, an arm connected to said shaft and engageable with said member, a pivoted lever, a second arm connected to said shaft and engageable by said lever, a rectilinearly movable member connected to said lever for actuating the latter, and a shift key rigidlycarried by said last mentioned member for actuating the latter, said shift key being positioned externally of said reed chamber and movable rectilinearly with said rectilinearly movable member.

4. In an accordion, a chamber having a wall provided with openings for the passage of air for vibrating the reeds, key-controlled valves for said openings, a plurality of additional valves for said openings, each of said valves being movable from initial positions to positions for closing said openings, rockablc shift keys for selectively moving said additional valves from their initial positions to positions [or closing said openings, said shift keys being movable toward and away from said chamber wall, means for supporting said shift keys for said rocking movement thereof toward and away from said chamber wall, and means including a slidable shift bar for returning all of said additional valves from their said last mentioned positions to their initial positions,-

5. In an accordion, a chamber having a wall provided with openings for the passage of air for vibrating the reeds, key-controlled valves for said openings, a plurality of additional valves for said openings, each of said valves being movable from initial positions to positions for closing said openings, means for selectively moving said additional valves to said last mentioned positions, comprising a plurality of oscillatable rods disposed within said chamber and extending transversely thereof, operative connections between said rods and said aditional valves, a plurality of pivoted levers connected to said rods and extending longitudinally of said chamber within the latter, rectilinearly movable means extending through said wall and having operative connections with said levers for actuating the latter, means for guiding said last mentioned means for said rectilinear movement thereof, and means accessible externally of the accordion for selectively actuating said rectilinearly movable means.

6. In an accordion, a chamber having a wall provided with openings for the passage of air for vibrating the reeds, key-controlled valves for said openings, a plurality of additional valves for said openings, each of said valves being movable from initial positions to positions for closing said openings and from said last mentioned positions to said initial positions, means for selectively moving said additional valves to either of said positions comprising a plurality of oscillatablerods, having operative connections with said additional valves, a plurality of pivoted levers pivotally connected to said rods for oscillating the latter, means for actuating said levers for moving the latter in one direction, and separate means operable independently of said last mentioned means for moving said levers in a different direction whereby said rods can be oscillated in different directions for moving said additional valves to different positions, said last mentioned means comprising a pivoted lever extending in the same direction as said first mentioned levers and having a part extending transversely of and releasably engageable with said first mentioned levers between the ends thereof, said transversely extending part being movable transversely of said first mentioned levers to engage and release the same.

7. In an accordion, a chamber having a wall provided with openings for the passage of air for vibrating the reeds, key-controlled valves for said openings, a plurality of additional valves for said openings, each of said valves being movable from a plurality of oscillatable rods disposed within said chamber and extending transversely thereof, operative connections between said rods and said additional valves, a plurality of pivoted levers connected to said rods and extending longi nally of said chamber within the latter, and means operable externally of the accordion for actuating said levers, said last mentioned means comprising rectilinearly movable members extending through said wall and connected to said levers, and tubular members in which said last A mentioned members are guided for movement thereof for actuating said levers.

8. In an accordion, a reed chamber having a wall provided with a plurality of openings, 0. plate slidably mounted in said chamber for controlling said openings, means positioned insaid chamber for actuating said plate, means positioned externally of said chamber for operating said actuating means, a connection between said operating and said actuating means including a movable member projecting into said chamber from a point externally thereof, and means for preventing the escape of air from said chamber at the portion thereof through which said members project, said means comprising a tubular member in substantially fluid-sealing engagement with said member, said member being movable in said tubular member.

9. In an accordion, a reed chamber having a wall provided with a plurality of openings, a plurality of valves movably mounted in said chamber at one side of said wall for controlling said openings, said valves being movable in different directions, a frame mounted externally of said chamber at the other side of said wall, a

' plurality of manually engageable members each pivotally mounted in said frame for movement in different directions by the manualengagement thereof toward and away from said wall, mechanisms within said chamber for moving said valves, and 'means having operative connections with said members and with said mechanisms for actuating the latter to move said valves in different directions respectively under the control of said members when the latter are moved in accordion.

amass? different directions by the manual engagement thereof. i

10. In an accordion, a reed chamber having a wall provided with a plurality of openings, a plurality of valves movably mounted in said chamber at one side of said wall for controlling said openings, a frame mounted externally of said chamber at the other side of said wall and secured to the latter, said frame including a rod disposed in spaced relation to said wall and extending longitudinally thereover, a grille mounted on said chamber and provided with a plurality of spaced openings, a plurality of shift keys pivotally mounted on said rod and movable thereon toward and away from said wall and projected through said grille openings for movement therein, and means operated under the control of said shift keys for actuating said valves.

11. In an accordion, a chamber having a wall provided with openings for the passage of air for vibrating the reeds, key-controlled valves for said openings, a plurality of additional valves for said openings, each of said additional valves being movable to two positions to cover said openings and to uncover said openings. respectively, individual shift keys and mechanisms actuated thereby for moving said additional valves to one of said positions, said shift keys being mounted for movement in two directions and operable when moved in one of said directions to actuate said mechanisms to move said valves to one of said positions and operable when moved in the other of said directions to actuate said mechanisms to move said valves to the other of said positions, movable keys for said first mentioned valves, said shift keys and said last mentioned keys being movable in substantially the same directions whereby to facilitate manipulation of all of said keys by the player while playing the ROBERTO PANCOTTI. 

